Mariya Abakumova

Russia’s former European javelin record holder Mariya Abakumova provided the undisputed highlight at the16th International Athletics Challenge Meeting in Velenje, Slovenia, on Tuesday, throwing a massive world-leading 67.98m in the fifth round.

Her effort puts nearly two metres between herself and the best of the rest of the world, lead by Germany’s Christina Obergföll who threw 66.22 at the SPAR European Team Championships in Stockholm just over a week ago, when Abakumova could only finish fourth.

It was a fantastic display of throwing for Abakumova, a medalist at the 2008 Olympic Games and 2009 World Championships, at the European Athletics Outdoor Classic Meeting.

All her throws were valid and the worst was 61.36m, which would have been sufficient to win.

Germany’s 2010 European Athletics Championships gold medallist Linda Stahl was a distant second with 60.78m.

source: european-athletics.org